"Year of the Dog"

"Year of the Dog" can be interpreted in many different ways. I saw it as a film about an utterly broken woman moving past her anguish to find satisfaction and meaning in her life, but I have a feeling that some people saw it as a film displaying the evolution of a fairly normal person into a "Crazy Dog Lady."

I was surprised that I could actually take Molly Shannon seriously. Her role in this movie made her role as Mary Katherine Gallagher in "Superstar" completely flee from my mind.

She is known for her quirky and comedic roles, but she was mostly responsible for the touching and heartbreaking moments in this film, while her co-stars were responsible for the laughs.

Watch the trailer:

Nevertheless, the role of an average office worker turned into a raging animal rights activist suited Molly Shannon very well.

"Year of the Dog" wasn't a knee-slapping comedy, but it was strewn with enough humor to save the audience from completely becoming buried in the main character's grief.

I think everyone can relate to Shannon's character, Peggy, on some level, especially people who have lost a pet.

At the very least, this film was enjoyable, worth my time and money, and made sitting in a particularly uncomfortable theater chair worth every second of agony.